have ever
witnessed in my life.

"I am glad also to think that the splendour, and, I must add, admirable
management of the display to-day, does not quite efface from your Royal
Highness's recollection, the scene upon a similar scale which we
endeavoured to offer you when we had the honour of having your name as
Patron of the Scottish craft. Your Royal Highness has been good enough
to say that you have not forgotten the occasion. I can assure your Royal
Highness no Scotchman will ever forget it, and I can speak on behalf of
the Grand Lodge of Scotland, with which I have been so long connected,
having served every office in it, from Junior Deacon up to Grand Master,
having been not quite a holiday Freemason, but worked my way from the
ranks up to the position I have the honour to hold now.

"His Royal Highness has this day told us what the duties of Freemasonry
are, and there is no doubt he has summed them up in two words--loyalty
and charity--which includes mercy, a quality that has been described by
the greatest of poets as becoming 'the throned Monarch better than his
crown.' There can be no doubt that under the auspices of the Most
Worshipful Grand Master the Grand Lodge of England will flourish, and
will continue to be a standard for Masonry all over the world."

Brother R. W. Shekleton, Deputy Grand Master of Ireland, spoke of the
loyalty of Irish Masons, who are, he said, "remarkable for fear of God,
fealty to the Sovereign, love to the brotherhood, and friendship to all
classes and creeds."

Brother Admiral Oscar Dickson returned thanks in the name of the Swedish
Grand Lodge for the honour conferred upon them.

The Most Worshipful Grand Master then proposed the toast of various
Grand Officers and Brethren, according to custom. Sir Erasmus Wilson
replied for the Stewards, whose special duty it was, with the aid of
their good Brother Francatelli (the Master Cook), to see to the humble
but necessary ceremonies consequent on our sublunary existence; or, in
the beautiful words of our Ritual: "to lead them to unite in the grand
design of being happy and communicating happiness."

As long before as the 1st of December, 1869, the Prince of Wales had
been received, at Freemasons' Hall, as a Past Grand Master, at a meeting
of the United Grand Lodge of England; and in a brief speech replied to
the address delivered by Lord Zetland, who was at that time Grand
Master.

One of the first appointments made by the Prince